Other Committee Meetings of Interest

Special Events and Discussion Forums

Please add information on free special events that do not require registration here (chronological order).

Town Hall Meeting on Diversity

8:30-12:00pm, Friday 7/10
Sponsored by the Committee on Diversity. Discussion will focus on strategies for 1) unifying library diversity advocacy efforts across member associations; 2) encouraging diversity in ALA leadership groups; 3) enhancing LIS education to facilitate the recruitment of students from under-represented backgrounds; 4) fostering workplace diversity and organizational change to better promote and retain members of under-represented groups in the LIS profession. Recommendations will contribute to a published report disseminated to the profession.

Preconferences & Ticketed Events

Please add information on ticketed events here (chronological order). Ticketed events are those that require registration and/or are not included in the cost of your registration to ALA Annual Conference. Please note some events may sell tickets at the door.

Many Voices, Many Nations Chicago

6-9:00pm, Friday 6/27 Registration requested but not required
$10
Don't miss this annual celebration of the literary diversity and creativity that enriches our world. This inspiring event will showcase the talent and imagination of writers from across the land as they weave a tapestry of spoken word, expressing the myriad of experiences from our varied ethnic, cultural, and lifestyle traditions, and our fundamental unity within the global human family. If you've experienced a MVON, you know that this is an unforgettable conference kick-off. Book-signing reception included.

Programs

Please add information on programs here (chronological order).

Leaders Wanted: LIS Doctoral Program Options Fair

10:30am-noon, Saturday 7/11
Cultivating a diverse workforce is of great importance, but representation of diversity in LIS education and research is paramount to achieving our recruitment goals. This Options Fair immediately follows LRRT's “New Minds, New Approaches” Graduate Student Research Forum. Don't miss this chance to learn more about research and discuss the doctoral degree with Students and Faculty from PhD programs across the country.

Diversity Currents: Redefining the Library in Political Context, the Danish Experience

1:30-3:00pm, Saturday 7/11
Leaders from the Danish Library Association discuss the national association’s structure which combines local politicians as well as library professionals in a Council comprised of representatives from regional associations. Learn more about the degree to which political consensus is needed in this kind of organizational setup and the shape current issues such as freedom of speech and inclusion of diversity take in this unique landscape.
Speakers:
Michel Steen-Hansen, Executive Director, Danish Library Association
Vagn Ytte Larsen, President, Danish Library Association

Priorities, Policies, Participation - A Roadmap to Action

3:30-5:30pm, Saturday 7/11
Have a great idea for the future of the profession? Want something to happen? Feeling unheard or under-served? These leaders want to harness the initiative and imagination of ALA’s diverse members by giving you frank tips for navigating ALA and getting things done. Join the culture of inclusion, flexibility, experimentation, and organizational responsiveness by joining us at this session.

1:30-3:00pm, Sunday 7/12
In this challenging economic climate, librarians may need to be flexible in their career pursuits. How can new or experienced librarians recreate their professional image to make a career change and take advantage of the diverse opportunities available within librarianship? Join a talented group of ALA Spectrum Scholars who have undergone their own professional identity makeovers for a discussion on effective ways to market yourself when your job experience and available job opportunities don't quite match-up. Speakers: Neely Tang, Public Services Librarian, Management Library of the Johnson School Cornell University; Floyd G. Council Sr., Regional Branch Manager Julia Davis Regional Branch Library, St. Louis Public Library; Lorena Mata Librarian, Evergreen Valley College Library, San Jose, CA;
Jade Alburo, Librarian for Southeast Asian Studies, Oceania Australia & New Zealand Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA

Charting Courses: Diversity Research Grants

3:30-5:30pm, Sunday 7/12
2008 Diversity Research Grant Recipients share findings. Join us for these ground-breaking discussions: "LGBT Book Discussion Groups in Public Libraries: Seeking Compatibility"; “Focus on MY Family: An Analysis of Gay-Themed Picturebooks & Public Library Services for LGBTQ Children and Children with Same-Sex Parents”; and "Focus on MY Family: An Analysis of Gay-Themed Picturebooks & Public Library Services for LGBTQ Children and Children with Same-Sex Parents.” These award-winning researchers will be joined by the 2009 Achievement in Diversity Honoree.
Speakers include: Dr. John Pruitt, Assistant Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Rock County, and Vice President, Friends of the Hedberg Public Library Board of Trustees; Jamie Campbell Naidoo, Ph.D, Assistant Professor at University of Alabama School of Library and Information Studies;
Eun-Young Yoo, Ph D, Assistant Professor, School of Library and Information Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, and Pauletta Bracy, PhD, Associate Professor School of Library and Information Science and Director for the Office of University Accreditation / Office of the Provost at North Carolina Central University.